Please join us in celebrating Keizai Society’s 22nd anniversary at our Shinnenkai on Friday, January 27th at 6:00pm at the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club. We will be honoring co-founder/co-owner of Yoshi’s, Ms. Yoshi Akiba with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to US-Japan relations.

Yoshi Akiba is a true entrepreneurial success story whose triumph, from very humble beginnings, was driven by a deep passion for connecting with people and finding a new way, and a profound desire to give back to the community. Yoshi, orphaned during World War II, came to the U.S. to study dance and music. In 1973, Yoshi and her two best friends were a trio of struggling students who started a small North Berkeley Japanese restaurant with the name Yoshi’s. It was the combination of artistry, business sense, and spiritual beliefs which contributed to their success. Over the next nearly 40 years, Yoshi's built itself into one of the world's most respected venues with jazz and Japanese cuisine. In October, 2011, Kodansha published her memoir “We Can Do It.”

We will also be performing our traditional Kagamiwari (sake barrel “breaking”) ceremony. The Consul General of Japan, Hiroshi Inomata is expected to lead this tradition.

Keizai Society’s theme for 2012 is “Japan in Transformation.” It encompasses commercial entrepreneurship and new venture formation as well as social entrepreneurship, new patterns of employment, corporate reform and many other critical priorities that are already breathing new life into Japan’s business community and its other institutions.

Start off 2012 by strengthening your existing business relationships and forging new ones. Bring lots of business cards to exchange, including one to enter the drawing for the exciting door prizes. We look forward to celebrating 2012 with you at our 22nd anniversary Shinnenkai. Due to the anticipated number of attendees, early registration online is highly recommended. We cannot guarantee that there will be room for walk-ins.

Friday, January 27, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (PST)

Organizer

Keizai Silicon Valley

Keizai Silicon Valley (http://keizai.org) is a Silicon Valley based business and professional networking organization. One of its primary purposes is to provide a venue of programs that showcase specialists with expertise on issues critical to the success of entrepreneurs and companies doing business with Japan and the U.S.